Sister Cities Butterfly Garden

We are proud to share that the Sister Cities Monarch Butterfly Garden, received an Honorable Mention in the 2026 #SlingshotChallenge by the National Geographic Society.

Out of 2,300+ submissions from 104 countries, the project placed in the Top 50 worldwide, recognizing its creative approach to environmental education, bilingual literacy, youth leadership, and cross-cultural connection. The video was created by two student founding board members of the Sister Cities Foundation: Tien and Tai Nghiem.

The garden was designed to celebrate the journey of the monarch butterfly, a species whose migration reminds us that nature, like language and community, crosses borders. Through this project, students learned about monarch conservation while also helping create bilingual educational resources, student illustrations, and community-centered environmental activities.

You can watch the winning video below!